LIBERTY — A violent disturbance erupted at Belmont Pines Hospital Thursday night, drawing a response from Liberty police officers.

The disturbance, which involved multiple juveniles allegedly assaulting staff members, led to several arrests and required coordinated efforts from law enforcement to restore order.

According to a Liberty Township police report, police responded to the hospital around 7:30 p.m. after receiving reports that a 15-year-old boy patient had become agitated and assaulted several staff members. According to the police report, the teen used his arm cast as a weapon, striking multiple hospital employees. The teen also is accused of shoving an elderly custodian and attempting to strike another worker before staff were able to restrain him.

The report states as officers worked to control the situation, additional juveniles aged 11, 13, and 14, began inciting violence within the unit. The three juveniles yelled threats at staff while raising their fists, attempting to escalate the disturbance into a full-scale riot.

The report also states that at least one juvenile girl, previously identified in an earlier assault, had spit blood on multiple staff members, as well as a nurse, the report states.

Because of the escalating violence, multiple police agencies were called to assist in securing the facility. Officers ordered all juveniles back into their rooms, but three girls in the female pod refused to comply, continuing to shout, incite others and run around the unit.

One of them, upon being confronted by officers, made fists with her hands and attempted to strike staff before dropping to the floor and refusing to cooperate, the report states.

Four juveniles were taken into custody and transported to the Trumbull County Juvenile Justice Center. One juvenile was refused entry because of age restrictions and had to be returned to Belmont Pines after paperwork was completed.

The severity of the disturbance led officers to classify the incident as an aggravated riot, with possible additional charges pending against other involved individuals. The report notes that several co-conspirators participated in the violence, but were not apprehended at this time.

According to officers, they already had responded to prior assault calls involving the same juveniles earlier in the week, including multiple instances of juveniles physically attacking staff members. The officer noted in his report that police intervention became necessary when hospital staff were unable to regain control of the facility on their own.

In a statement Friday, a Belmont Pines Hospital spokesperson said that all children and staff were safe and that operations had resumed as normal.

“Last night, Belmont Pines Hospital experienced a disturbance in one of the residential units. Police were called and worked with our trained staff promptly to bring the situation under control. All children and staff are safe. We appreciate the swift assistance from the police. We are open and fully operational,” the statement read.